Bombay Jayashree,SICA,Hyderabad-19th Mar,2011

[revanthv552]

The first music concert in the 52nd Annual Cultural festival of South Indian Cultural Association was by Smt. Bombay Jayashri.
She was accompanied on the violin by Sri Embar Kannan. On the mridangam Sri Manoj Siva and on the kanjira Sri Anirudh Athreya accompanied her. The tambura support was by Kum.Karthika and Kum.Abhinaya.

The concert began exactly at 6:30 pm in the evening. The song list is:

1.Sri Maha Ganapathi-Gowla-Dikshitar[S]
2.Maakelara-Ravichandrika-Thyagaraja
3.Bagayanayya-Chandrajyothi-Thyagaraja[R,S]
4.Mokshamu Galadha-Saramathi-thyagaraja
5.Swara Raga Sudha-Shankarabharanam-Thyagaraja[R,N,S]
6.Mara vairi-Nasikabhooshani-Thyagaraja
7.RTP-Andholika and Chandrakauns-Thaniavarthanam
8.Mrigayatha radha-Behag-Narayana Theerthar
9.Alokaye Sri-Charukesi-Narayana Theerthar
10.Thillana-Sindubhairavi

She started off the concert with the Gowla krithi. There was a round of brisk swarams. Then she sang the Ravi chandrika piece. After finishing the Chandrajyothi alapana, she announced that, this was a musician's dedication to the full moon outside. That day being a full moon day she chose the raga is what she announced. The raga alapana was very well rendered. The kalpana swaram patterns were good. And Embar Kannan's alapana of the raga was outstanding. The main piece was Swara raga sudha. The ragam was well rendered. Thaniavarthanam was not for this song and so I hoped she'd sing an RTP. And to my happiness, she started off Andolika. The melody of the raga was unveiling slowly and when it reached the peak she slided to the raga Chandrakauns. The pallavi line was not the same one she took in the Bangalore Gayana Samaja concert (the song list for that concert and this have many pieces in common) The pallavi was "Mayanai Anbar Neyanai" I am not sure with the lyrics. But the pallavi was very well rendered. She kept sliding from raga to raga without taking a pause. That really reflected her vidwath. She sang the ragamalika swarams in Sunadhavinodhini and Hamir Kalyani. She slided with ease between both the ragas. The swarakalpana pattern was amazing! It was a treat. The thaniavarthanam followed this. The thukkada section was also good. The concert was full of melody and was a great experience for the rasikas of Hyderabad. The hall remained full through out the concert.

[arasi]

Revanth,
Good to see your review.
Wish I had been there in the light of the full moon, listening to a chandra jyOthi and a chandra kauns too--and AndOlikA, which TMK sang very well too at Gayana Samaja in February. Must have been a very good RTP. In the few live concerts that I've been to of BJ, I wasn't lucky enough to hear a double header like this.

[Sundara Rajan]

It is a shame that such a talented artist is not seen very much in the concert circuit these days, especially here in the US. I have never attended a concert of this artist that I did not like! I personally find her voice more melodious than many other more popular female carnatic musicians. I do realise that tastes differ.

[squims]

The pallavi line was not the same one she took in the Bangalore Gayana Samaja concert (the song list for that concert and this have many pieces in common)

I was just about to remark about the similarity in the song lists myself! Hehe.

I personally find her voice more melodious than many other more popular female carnatic musicians. I do realise that tastes differ.

While I love BJ's voice, I also love the force in the voice of some other female singers (not just in the present time, but even when you think of MLV amma etc.).Variety is indeed the spice of life! I need a healthy mix of both kinds of music to satiate my music buds...

[gardabha_gana]

Hmm... main, sub-main, and sub-sub-main same as samaja concert

[arasi]

gardabha_gana,
I bet you have a much better voice than what your name implies Yes, like squims, I am happy listening to vocalists with different kinds of voices. Sweet comes in many shades and styles. What do we mean by a sweet voice? I can't tell. A voice rich in bhAvam is what appeals to me most. Then again, that's me.

Yes, times have changed and musicians can't afford to be like some of their older counterparts who could even present the same set of songs at Chennai, Tiruchi, Madurai,Tirunelveli and Tiruvananthapuram all in one tour and not be found out. They have their work cut out now. Technology and media make it harder for the present day musicians--bless them for carrying on in their chosen profession!

[Sabaash]

Cant agree with arasi more!!!!!

Really kudos to the artists for maintaining variety.

But this list seems to be a collage of various pieces rendered by BJ in the Dec Season 2010

Baagayyanayya - Music academy
Swara raga sudharasa - Bharat Kalachar (main piece there also..)
Rtp Andholika - Chandrakauns - Kalarasana - (there it was the other way round.. Chandrakauns - Andholika)
Rtp Saahityam - Maayanai Anbar Neyyanai Gaana Lolanai ( as told by revanth) - Music Academy (in Kaanada)
Aalokaye - Music Academy

Hmm... having rasikas following you is quite a problem isn't it???

The artists just cant be blamed, vocalists such as BJ and Sanjay perform around a 100 concerts a year including the 10 to 20 they perform in the season. I m glad that BJ was atleast willing to mix it up rather than picking up a whole list. Things get worse when one considers the fact that people from all over India come to attend the season. So i think it is highly risky to repeat the pieces that were rendered in the season
(especially at the Music Academy) at places like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Trivandrum etc. Chances are high that the artist might get caught wrong footed. But on the hindsight the artists can be proud that what they rendered months ago still linger in the minds of true rasikas...

[gardabha_gana]

Mine was just an observation. I have no problems hearing swara raga sudha every day if rendered well. Actually, I used to play Ramani's Swararaga sudha every night to put Sahana (my daughter) to sleep - and I enjoyed it! In fact, KSG played madhyamavati in Fort HighSchool and again after a few months @ the samaja just across the street - and both were fantastic and I welcomed the repeat

[srikant1987]

In fact, KSG played madhyamavati in Fort HighSchool and again after a few months @ the samaja just across the street - and both were fantastic and I welcomed the repeat

PLEASE tell me when he's playing (and how to get to Fort High School)! I missed BOTH madhyamAvatis!

[squims]

Srikant, if the Gayana Samaja entrance is to your left, just go a bit forward. Fort High School grounds are just after the intersection/signal on the same side.

[srikant1987]

Thanks, squims! I saw the list on kpjayan's and it doesn't have KSG listed. I misread g_g's post in my eagerness!

I will attend TVS's and Ashwini Bhide's. Might turn up at Parur Quatrette or Ranjani-Gayathri's too.

[squims]

I will be attending as many of the Fort High School concerts as I can. Usually very enjoyable concerts those are.

[srikant1987]

In that case, I will try a few new faces that sing on weekends. No new face playing an instrument (as the main artiste) on weekends!

[weird.world]

These days BJ renders Kalyani and Shankarabharanam in most of the concerts.

[perarulalan]

These days BJ renders Kalyani and Shankarabharanam in most of the concerts.

She did sing a wonderful karaharapriya in flights of fantasy concert at Chowdiah memorial hall.. She sang an elaborate Amruthavarshini also. In spite of her repeats, in my opinion, she does present very blissful music...

One of the few contemporary singers who can elevate the audience to a totally different level.

[squims]

Ah that Amruthavarshini! That was the highlight of that concert.